Device for stretching hides



(No Model.)

J. w.. 0HAPMAN. DEVIGE FOR STRETGHING HIDES.

No. 536,456. Patented'Mar. 26, 1895.

JAY W. CHAPMAN, OF

Enron.

P TENT DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

DEVICE FOR STRETCHING HID ES.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,456, dated March26, 1895.

Application filed April 24, 1894- Serial No. 508,760. (No model.) v

.ToaZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAY W. CHAPMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for StretchingHides, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the ac-. companying drawings.

The invention consists in the peculiar con-- struction of a clampingdevice, comprising a pair of tongs, a flexible cord attached to one ofthe actuating arms of the tongs, passing over a bearing on the other armof the tongs, and adapted to be secured to an open frame, whereby theclamping device may be secured to the sliding tongue at any desiredangle to the frame and forming at all times a support therefor. v

The'invention consists further in the combination, arrangement andconstruction of the various parts.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view showing my invention asapplied in use. Fig. 2 is a view partly in cross-section on line a; w ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the clamping tongs detached.

A is an open frame, preferably rectangular, and of such size to take ina hide of the desired size and leave a space between the frame and theedges of the hide all round. On this frame are a set of securingdevices, such for instance as shown in Fig. 2, in which I show aclamping bolt B passing through the frame, and a concavo-convex washer Oon the top of the frame adapted to be clamped thereon, by means of thebolt-nut D.

The hide holding tongs E have wide clamping jaws F, one jaw beingprovided with a groove G and the other with a tenon H in theirinterlocking faces and tightly grip the hide without danger of injuringit.

' draw the clamping jaws together.

oration is as follows: The operator engages the clamping jaws of thetongs with the edge of the hide, then fastens the cord over the bearingJ on the offset portion of the other.

actuating arm and tightly draws it around the bolt B, beneath the washerC and beneath which it will be wedged and securely held. Thetension ofthe cord. will not only tend to hold the hide taut in the frame but willalso This construction enables me with similar securing devices on theframe to engage the clamping jaws or tongs with the edges of the hide,no matter at what angle such edges may stand to the frame, as is plainlyshown in Fig. 1, and always give a direct strain upon the hide. It willalso be observed that the tighter the lateral strain on the hide,'thetighter the edges will be clamped thereon.

What I claim as my invention is In a device for stretching hidescomprising in combination, a frame, a series of cord-se curing deviceson the frame, and clamping tongs having interlocking jaws, cords securedto one arm of the tongs and an open hookshaped bearing on the end of theopposite arms, over which the cords are adapted to pass, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' JAY W. CHAPMAN.

Witnesses:

W. B. NORTHROP, H. F. DOTY.

